Unstoppable momentum behind more powers plans

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has said that there is now unstoppable momentum behind plans to deliver more powers for the Scottish Parliament.

Mr Rennie made the claim as he hailed an announcement from former Prime Minister Gordon Brown today, where the Labour figure spoke out strongly for more powers.

Speaking at a Road to the Referendum event in Rutherglen tonight, Mr Rennie will say:

“More powers are unstoppable now. In the event of a No vote, there will be a stronger Scotland within the UK family of nations.

“That’s what the majority of people in Scotland want. That is what will be delivered.

“It will be delivered because there is a will to do so. It will be delivered because there is a way of doing so.

“Only today, Gordon Brown put his full weight behind more powers in the event of a No vote. I welcome that. And just recently I walked with Ruth Davidson and Johann Lamont to Calton Hill to state our firm commitment to more powers.

“Nick Clegg and other UK party leaders have made clear that they want to see change unlocked across the UK. And outside of those elected by the people, we have trade unions, think tanks, people in your workplaces and communities willing for radical change for Scotland as part of the UK.

“That is the common will which will ensure there is a way.

“And in the event of a No vote, we will be prepared to deliver radical change to strengthen social justice and fiscal responsibility. The groundwork is there.

“Our Campbell II report outlined a route map to unlock radical change. The Conference for the New Scotland outlined in that report will be the vessel for delivering that change.

“Sir Menzies Campbell recommended that not more than one month after 18 September we will begin the process of working together on more powers for Holyrood.

“Alistair Carmichael has accepted that proposal. From experience we know that it is on the platform of consensus, bringing people together from across Scotland, that real change is delivered.

“That is what delivered the Scottish Parliament. It is what delivered the most radical transfer of fiscal power to Scotland in 300 years in the Scotland 2012 Act.

“In the debate on Scotland’s future, ours is the future which is strengthened by its past. We will have the best of both worlds, with a strong Scottish Parliament with more powers on the way, which shares risk and rewards across the broad shoulders of the UK.

“For liberals like me and you, that is a golden opportunity to build a stronger economy and a fairer society which enables every single person to get on in life.

“A No vote to independence will bring people together to deliver what the majority of people wish to see – a stronger and fairer Scotland.”

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